LOVE BY A BEAST
EPISODE 5
In mini-campus, the gun sh0ts were all they were talking about, though we hadn’t recorded any casualty, students exaggerated the entire incidence; some saying as many as 3 students were killed. Since it was Monday morning, I tried forgetting about everything elections and focus on my studies. I had Bot-305 from 9-11, Toun as usual was beside me gisting me on how she and Abayomi spent it. The lecturer was running late as usual when we heard beatings of drums from outside the auditorium, then some students danced into the lecture hall. At the middle of the dancing was National. He was dressed in buba and sokoto..He went to the front of the auditorium to address us..
“Great Nigerian students!”
“great!”, students replied
“I am here to give you important reasons why you should vote for me as the next SUG president of this great institution. Just like you, I am tired of the lies, corruption and incompetence that have corroded the institution known as the SUG. I am fed up of the students not having a voice to fight for them when the authorities come up with painful policies. I cannot sleep at night because of the insecurity the entire student b©dy faces, our lecture halls are overcrowded, our libr@ry books are outd@t£d, and we don’t have a proper school transport system”
Students were excited; he had gotten their attention…
“it is a shame that we don’t have a school hostel, even with the amount of money the government is pumping into the school, it’s a pity that our graduates might have to wait 3/4 yrs. before they can get their certificates..i say all these must st©p!!!!!!!!”
The students started ban-ging the table. They were excited..
“I am your man, my government will serve you, we will listen to you…we are not far away from you…most especially….we are you!!!!”
Students couldn’t take it anymore; they lifted National up high, shouting “you have won”
I looked at this foolish students in my clas-s, have they forgotten I was running for vice-president for Abayomi?..i mentally noted all the chief dancers in my clas-s..
Toun: see this people o…don’t they know my b©yfri£ndis running again?
Me: don’t mind them o..
I picked up my phone and dialed Abayomi’s number
Me: boss, you have to come to mini-campus o, National is campaigning here…abeg come
Abayomi: I am coming, call Timi, and tell him to meet me there in 15 min
Okay, it’s been more than a year I had dialed those digits, I hadn’t forgotten any digit
Me: come to mini-campus, Abayomi wants you here with him..
Timi: I am here.
Me: where?
Timi: at the back of the hall you are seated in..
I turned back to verify his claim…true to his word, he was there, in a white shi-t and blue jeans..
Timi: I have been following National’s train. Having a feel of him
Me: and what do you think, Do you think we still have a chance?
Timi: you have me..you always have a chance
Me: whatever mehn….hope you have propped Abayomi for the speech he must deliver..
Timi: not at all…I have other plans..
National and his people were alre-ady leaving the auditorium, with a thun-derous applause in their wake….
Timi: that’s my cue…I am next…you should be re-ady
Me: next for wha…..
He hung up…I saw him go to the front of the stage…Toun looked at me surprised…
Timi started..
“Greatest Nigerian students!”
“great!” students replied
“greatest Gbo Gbo”
“Gbo Gbo”, they replied
“greatest gba gba”
“Gba Gba” they replied
‘Greatest shhhhhhhhhh”
“shhhhhhhhh”…
There was pin drop silence…then Timi started talking.
Most students wanted to hear what Timi had to say, they knew National, they knew Abayomi…they knew Timi was as-sociated with a candid@t£, they wanted to hear what he had for them
“I am standing here not on behalf of myself but on behalf of people who really want change in this school. I am not going to sugar-coat any words or give promises, I will tell you about this people and why they deserve a chance to serve you.”
***With the silence in the hall, you could hear if two mosquitoes were straffing..***
“what is the biggest problem we face as a student b©dy?…some of you say security, others say hostels..etc..you are not far from it, but we think the biggest problem we face as a student b©dy is the right to be a student of this great institution. We are all seated in this auditorium…but how many of us have completed the payment of our fees?. Many brilliant people among us have no idea if they would be allowed to write the examinations due to non-payment of fees, the economy of Nigeria is bad, our parents are doing their best…but some of them can’t afford it because it is too expensive”
***A couple of “yes”…”beeni”..could be heard.***
“this is 2007, you are still being f0rç£d to buy books that are free online, this is 2007, the campus doesn’t have a wireless network, even schools not as prestigious as this have that!”
***Students started cl@pping***
“If with the limited resources provided to you, you guys can still excel tremendously in your various fields, imagine if you had the required resources!”
***Students were on their feet..cl@pping in unision***
“ imagine if you didn’t have to worry about excessive school fees only about your studies and exams!”
“solidarity forever….” Hymns started in the background
“imagine if everyb©dy was free to roam the streets of Ago-iwoye, ijebu-oru and ijebu-igbo anytime, because the school has its own police station, roaming the streets …providing security”..
I didn’t know what Timi had smoked to the lecture hall…but he was on fire
“lemme tell you about someb©dy, when we were in 100L, during Chemistry practical exams, we had limited amount of Petri-dishes and conical-flasks…the dep@rtment said there was nothing they could do about it until they got resources from the school, so the exams was to be post-poned.., an anonymous student went to Lagos that very afternoon and by the next day, brou-ght this items for the chemistry-lab. This is not hear say…this student gave me the items to deliver myself”
Many students remembered the episode but when the items were brou-ght in, they had imagined the school had rescued them. Ofcuz I remembered the episode…
“National and his colleagues held this mic some minutes ago to address you, what they didn’t know was that this wonderful mic that we use today without saying “testing testing 123” like before was provided by a student anonymously, when the dep@rtment started dragging their feet on getting a new one”
***Astonishing looks spre-ad across the hall***
“though this person would like to remain anonymous…I refuse to let it remain so!”
The students started clamouring “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
“I pres£nt to you a girl, who has never waited for people to hand her things, but have instead provided things for people…for the hungry…she gave food…for the distressed she gave a listening ear…and for the dancers…if you were with us on Saturday she gave music!”
***People started laughting..***
“and most especially…her most important gift…was her love. She is running as the vice-president for Abayomi… I pres£nt to you Ms Tana Dike!”
***The applause was so loud, i didn’t hear on time that my name was being chanted***
“Tana!….Tana!….Tana!….all eyes were on me…Timi stretched his hand beckoning on me to come to the front. Even Toun was cheering me up ..
When I got to where he was, I know a reasonable person was supposed to say “thank you”, but I didn’t…instead I hvgged him..
i hvgged Timi..
Abayomi didn’t nee-d to utter a word when he breezed into the hall, he got cheers and a lot of unknown handshakes. He c@m£ beside me, grinning sheepishly..
Abayomi: what are all these about
Me: ask your campaign manager…he swept everyb©dy off their feet
Abayomi: including you?
Me: yes..
***He stupidly win-ked at me.***
Dr Nnamdi, the lecturer taking Bot 305 c@m£ into the auditorium, bringing to an end a very eventful morning.
After lectures I proceeded to the kakadu, Oru, to have a meeting with Abayomi as regards the incidence that happened during the rally on Saturday. He was seated with a bottle of dry gin and a bottle of coke
Me: drinking so early..what is happening boss?
Abayomi: we have to sort out our security
Me: yes I agree..
Abayomi: what do you want to drink?
Me: Schweppes lemon..
Abayomi: I heard it aint good for your health or so
Me: I don’t have ba-lls mahn….plus I think it’s just rumor’s. No medical fact.
Abayomi: I think we should take uche’s offer..
Me: I am not comfortable with it
Abayomi: I listen to your fears regularly and you know it, but I think this risk is worth it, we have just five weeks before the election…we nee-d the money and the security
Me: but the monopoly is what I don’t like, what of other people that woukld want to start up their own game centres or cd stands?
Abayomi: how many game centres do you want in a campus sef?..this is a campus o..
Me: Abayomi, you have the right to accept their offer without asking for my attention, what is it you want?
Abayomi: I want us to reach an agreement together
Me: you won’t get that. I am sorry..
Abayomi: Uche gave me till this afternoon, or they would shift camp to National’s..
Me: do what you have to to..i won’t support it..
Abayomi: plea-se na..
Me: don’t beg me jor..i might not agree with you. But you know I will have your back
Abayomi sipped his drink cooly, looked at me for a while then picked up his phone..
Abayomi( on phone): uche howfar?
…..mehn…I dey o..
….yes I just finished talking to my people now…
…….no deal bro…the monopoly thing is the sticky p@rt..
…..yes I am sure
……I am sorry bro..
…no problem…National is all yours…
….i will take my chance bro…
He hung up..
Though I felt bad I had put Abayomi in a ti-ght position…he reminded me why he was my best friend.
LOVE BY A BEAST
EPISODE 6
I was tired with the amount of messages I was getting from Acho, telling me he has broken up with Yewande and it was the devil and shii.. I reminded myself that I would have to have a frank discussion with him. Another thought that crossed my mind was Timi. I was stupid to have hvgged him, now that’s all I can think of. Toun and I had agreed to go share fliers at bele, which was the most crowded hangout sp©t in Ago. I didn’t like the idea of visiting Ijebu-igbo so soon after the fracas, Timi and Abayomi would pick us up and drop us at bele while they proceeded to Ijebu-igbo.
I kept convincing myself I wasn’t dressing so nice to impress Timi, this was how I dressed often..but did I usel-ip-gloss at night?…no…I cleaned it. Toun was lying in my be-d, all she wore was a tank t©p and a mini-Sk-irt. Still she looked h0t!..Abayomi was a fool o..in fact I was gonna talk to him.
Toun: I have something to tell you Tee.
Me: what?
Toun: someone told me Abayomi has something to do with Kofo
I didn’t like where the conversation was going
Me: something like what
Toun: that she was his side-chic
Me: where did you hear this ?
Toun: Evelyn, the one studying French.
Me: that girl can say ru-bbish ehn…don’t just believe people o…
Toun: I just nee-d you to find out if anything is going on…I know you like Abayomi but I am your friend also..
I seriously hated where we were now…
Me: I am the wrongest person babe, I can never rat on Abayomi..
Toun: even for me?
Me: yes
Toun: I always liked your bluntness, but right now I hate you
Me: I know honey, you will like me soon!
Toun: I guess I have to find out myself
Me: lets get re-ady for bele..
Toun: yes o…amma shake my bu-mbu-m
Me: looool…
The knocker of my door was Abayomi, he didn’t even pay attention to me as I opened the door, and instead he pounced on his girlfriend. I wish I had the opportunity to warn him.
Toun: hold you k!ss
Abayomi: what is this? We weren’t late now; Timi had to fuel his car
Toun: whats my business if you are late? Only God knows were thosel-ips have been
Abayomi: babe are you hungry…Tana why didn’t you give her excellency food?
Me: na una sabi, lets go jor..
Timi was waiting in the car when we got there,thankfully Abayomi sat infront with him.
Toun: oga Timi, when you go change this car now?
Timi: me and this car have been throu-gh the good and the bad..she is my buddy…
Toun: abi you are waiting for the 200,786 naira..
Everyb©dy laughed…including me..Timi looked at me and win-ked…i yawned like I was bored all of a sudden. He didn’t seem to mind…then my thoughts switched to one time in this car….. When we had unimaginable sweet s.x…
Toun: Tana!
Me: what?
Toun: what are you thinking about…mtchwww..where should they drop us?
Me: front of Best care hospital…we will walk to bele from there..
It was more likely to see some students at bele than in their lecture hall, while cars of different makes were parked on the road, students holding bottles of liquor and red cu-ps of liquor filled the bar area and the streets. Sharing the fliers at bele was very easy, most of them just collected the fliers and shove it in their pockets, some tea-sed with the usual “fine girls”…” ”mehn..see that yansh”. It didn’t take long before Toun saw a group of guys staying in her area and went to meet them..It didn’t take 5 seconds that Acho appeared at my side..he was on a white tommy t©p, holding a bottle of calypso..
Acho: babe..how are you?
Me: I am fine Acho dear..how are you?
Acho: I am fine…how is the campaign going?
Me: we thank God
Acho: you haven’t been replying my messages o..
Me: sorry..you know I have been busy..
Acho: look I am sorry…
Me: don’t be sorry…I have forgotten about it
Acho: does that mean we can’t start again?
Me: no sweetie, that sh!phas sailed..
Acho: but I miss you…your smile..your b©dy..when we are ma-king..
Me: st©p it Acho…
Acho: but I miss being inside you and..
Me: I will sl@p you Acho..don’t ever talk to me like that again..
Acho: wow wow young lady…watch your mouth or else…
Toun: or else what?
I didn’t even see her arrive, Acho kept quiet
Toun: I am listening, or else what? I will sl@p you myself if you t©uçh her
Acho: we-tin be this one now, abi both of una don jogodo?
Me: bounce Acho..respect yourself and bounce…
Acho: don’t talk to me like that..
Toun stood infront of him and due to her height, she was tall as he was..
Toun: bounce…
And she wasn’t smiling…Acho walked away…
From a distance I saw Uche and someone else give Toun and I thumbs up..like they were watching if Acho was gonna trespas-s.. I recognized Uche easily..but the other person was dark…and the distance made it ha-rder..his smile though..cool…confident and magnetic..
______________________________________
My door was ajar when I got home, I was sure I didn’t leave it so. I placed my ear close to the slightly opened door for any sound, there was none. As usual there wasn’t electricity so I couldn’t see much, but when I put on my rechargeable lantern..what I saw was shocking..
My television had a hole in the middle, with wood from my broken wall hanger in it. My clothes had been slashed, I could smell something really awful but I couldn’t find the location. I sat down to place a call to Abayomi..then I saw it. Whoever had broken in must have been suffering from dys£ntery. My be-d was splattered with human dung and urine. I placed the call..
Me: Abayomi, someb©dy broken into my ap@rtment
Abayomi: I think you should come to my house
Me: I say my house was burgled and all u can say is that I come to your house?
Abayomi: Just come
He hung up..
Toun was at the door when I got to his ap@rtment, she led me inside where I met a worried looking Abayomi and Timi. I quic-kly explained to them what happened to my ap@rtment.
Abayomi: Timi’s ap@rtment was ransacked too..
Me: your be-d had dung on it?
I faced Timi..
Timi: No, I think he emptied his stomach on yours.
Me: what did they do to your ap@rtment?
Timi: my l@pt©p is gone, the tap in my bathroom was left on and the water channeled to my room, my rug was torn with different patches of holes in it..
I laughed…c’mmon it was funny..
Abayomi: I called Uche, we have to meet him at Aiyegbami in 30 minutes.
He looked at me, his eyes daring me to refuse. I looked at Timi, his face was blank. Toun hvgged me from behind…
Me: Alright..
Aiyegbami had this eerie weirdness about it, you seldomly saw girls loitering around at night, it was more silent than other p@rts of Ago-iwoye. Even the scanty bars that were opened weren’t pla-ying loud music. Aiyegbami was one of the places they warned you about when you gained admission into the institution. The house in which we were to meet Uche was a three be-droom flat. It must have been built in the mid 80’s, it had the architecture. Guys were infront of the building, most of them t©pless, cu-ps of ‘shepe’ was in abundant, while tobacco filled the air. A small looking boy of no more than 18 c@m£ to us
Boy: who una dey find
Abayomi: Uche
Boy: we-tin happen?
Abayomi: him say make we come block am for here.
Boy: wait, I dey come, make I go ask am.
Somehow, being alone with Abayomi here started to look like a bad idea. I saw the tall frame of Uche emerge from the door, he had a stick of cigarette sticking from his mouth.
Uche: my people how una dey?
Abayomi: we dey o…howfar?
I didn’t bother with the plea-santries. That I had agreed to go along with him didn’t mean I would be all smiley. Uche led us into the sitting room where a lovely pool table was, there was a two-sitter cushion by the left, I didn’t bother waiting for uche to tell me to sit, I sat. He and Abayomi stood by the pool table to discuss.
Abayomi: hope you haven’t spoken with National yet?
Uche: No, we would meet tomorrow though
Abayomi: is there a way we can work throu-gh this?
Uche: what are you suggesting?
Abayomi: reduction in the money you want to sponsor us with, so you might not have complete monopoly?
Uche: what has changed from the last time we spoke?
Abayomi: my p@rtner and I just think we nee-d some kind of security..
Uche: is there something we should know about?
I looked at Uche, if he had anything to do with the incidence, he didn’t show it.
Abayomi: not at all, except ofcuz what happened at the rally.
Uche: yes I heard about that. I wouldn’t be able to decide on what you are offering, I would have to discuss with my client.
Me: that’s another requirement, we nee-d to meet this client..
Uche smiled…
Uche: the funny thing was that he told me you would say this..he is inside with a visitor, he would come out soon..
Abayomi and Uche started discussing about politics, from Osoba to Gbenga Daniel and how PDP was going to rule Nigeria for 50yrs. They were arguing when a girl c@m£ out of one of the rooms, with the way she walked and how her hair looked, she had definitely just be f—-d..i knew her. She was one of those so called big girls that spent most of their time at Gate-way with politicians. Coming outside from the same room where she had exited from was the guy that had been with Uche at Bele, he had remarkably small eyes, very dark with a sharp-low hair-cut. He was on singlet and bo-xers but that didn’t make him any less charismatic, the way he walked was almost like he was a model, but there was a darkness about him that doesn’t suit a model. He didn’t bother esc-rting his f–k-mate, instead he gently c@m£ to sit down beside me.
Uche: Abayomi, Tana this is my client
Abayomi: bro whatsup..nice to meet you..
Me: hi
It might be an aftershave or something, but he was smelling so good and fresh…
Client: I have been wanting to meet you guys, I am Jafar.
I had a couple of questions, like why didn’t he allow us meet him earlier or if he had planned all these, instead I asked
Me: you smell nice
Jafar smiled at me like I was a kid and didn’t really know what I was talking about. He stretched his hand and uche brou-ght him a stick of Benson and Hedges.
Abayomi: Jafar, are you a student of the institution?
He seemed as if he didn’t hear the question because it took quite some time before he answered, and when he spoke, it was like a whisper
Jafar: Oga Presido, I am a student of your institution
Abayomi: what dep@rtment bros?
I wasn’t focusing on the question and answers, his hairy legs were catching my attention.
Jafar: Political Science..
Abayomi: I don’t know why I haven’t seen you in main-campus before.
Jafar smiled shyly, if Abayomi had insulted him, he didn’t show it
Jafar: I see you everytime, I am what you will call…incognito
His tommy bo-xer short was black, rhymed with the sheen of his skin…
Jafar: Uche you are a bad host, you for give our guests drink na..
Abayomi: I am good..
Jafar: what of you my lady?
As he turned facing me, his knees brushed mine…I cold s-en-sation sped throu-gh my spine
Me: I took something on my way here
Jafar: aii, I have to show you guys something…follow me..
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 7